Spill Vase and Pipe Holder by Villeroy & Boch

Here is an unusual spill vase and pipe holder. It is designed in the shape of a tree trunk with 9 holes, for the matches, at the top and a larger hole, for the pipe, to the left at the top of a shorter tree trunk. It is decorated with tobacco leaves in the front and there is a match strike area in front of the leaves. It is marked on the bottom: 136 within a scroll rectangular area. This is 5 inches tall. The base is 4 1/4 x 3 inches.

A spill vase is a type of holder for long matches used until the 1920s to light up a fireplace. These were very popular in Europe, especially England & Germany, usually made of Porcelain or Earthenware. It can also be used as a pipe holder or nowadays as a Bud Vase.

The mark is that of VILLEROY & BOCH, used at their Mettlach Factory (Germany) ca 1852 - 1873. The number within this rectangular cartouche is the Model Number.